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Florida nursing home bed sores are usually preventable with good care

Florida nursing home bed sores rank high as a leading cause of death of elderly nursing home residents. Bed sores, pressure sores, pressure ulcers, decubitus ulcers — or as they are now referred to by medical experts: “pressure injuries,” are a leading cause of death among nursing home residents who receive poor care and are the victims of abuse and neglect. The disgraceful truth is that the nursing home is aware of this fact, yet generally refuses to hire adequate staff to prevent their residents from suffering such harm. More aids are needed to turn and reposition residents in their beds, to change them when they have an incontinent episode, and to get them up and moving around. In the absence of these interventions and others, a debilitated person’s risk of suffering a pressure injury sky-rockets.

The wounds, by themselves, do not typically lead to death. Rather, the complications that result are the cause. The tissue surrounding the wound becomes necrotic, meaning it rots and dies. The rotting flesh becomes a gateway for pathogens. These pathogens lead to infection of the wound. If not quickly treated, the infection spreads to the bloodstream. This is known as “septicemia” or “sepsis.”

What can be done to prevent the development of bed sores by residents of Florida nursing homes?

What can you do if your loved one is in a nursing home and you are concerned about bed sores? Ask staff whether your resident is susceptible to skin breakdown. Ask the director of nursing to look at his or her skin assessments. What do they reveal? Are there any wounds present? How large are they? How have the wounds changed since admission? Has the doctor been notified? Are the wounds increasing in size? Bed sores start out small. If left untreated, they may quickly progress to life threatening status. At the earliest sign of the development of a pressure injury, become proactive and insist on personally speaking with the physician in charge to express your concerns. Attend all care plan meetings and voice your concerns. If a bed sore has developed and it does not appear that the nursing home is taking it seriously, call a wound care doctor or consider calling 911 and get your loved one to the hospital for treatment.

Questions regarding Florida nursing home bed sores resulting from poor care, abuse or neglect or any other concern regarding a Florida nursing home? Call Jim at (844) 485-7600 for a free, confidential consultation

Venice Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer James Keim

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AV®, AV Preeminent® are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards.